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Articles Posted in Motorcycle Accidents

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The Chicago personal injury attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer have seen an increase in serious car crashes that involve the use of pot. Recently the Chicago Sun Times reported that Illinois traffic deaths increased by 24%.  According to the organization Parents Opposed to Pot, since 2016, when Illinois legalized marijuana, traffic deaths increased from 1078 to 1091 in 2017, to 1038 in 2018. This increase has some people wondering if there is a correlation between the decriminalization of marijuana and the state rising the authorized limit of THC from 0 to 5 ng of THC.

Even though under Illinois law use of marijuana may be legal, driving stoned at any level is not safe.  From young age we learn that drinking and driving is a lethal combination.  We hear commercials and radio advertisements, and see signs deterring us from sitting behind the wheel when under the influence of alcohol.  Yet there is a paucity of advertisements or signs or warnings discouraging smoking pot and driving.

The fact is that pot-related driving under the influence represents a threat to the citizens of Illinois.  Driving under the influence of marijuana is dangerous.  Research shows that marijuana impairs reactions just like alcohol does.  According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana significantly impairs judgment, motor coordination, and reaction delay. Several meta-analyses of studies found that the risk of being involved in a crash significantly increased after marijuana use and in some cases, the risk doubled or more than doubled. Continue reading

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An estimated 9,560 people died in motor vehicle crashes nationwide during the first three months of 2022.  This number represents a 20% jump from the same period in 2021 according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  This number also represents a 20 year high in deaths.  The personal injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. sadly note that the NHTSA has reported the increase in motor vehicle fatalities was  even higher in Illinois.  Illinois has had 280 fatalities during the first 3 months of 2022 which represents a shocking 24% increase in deaths over 2021.  According to the National Safety Council there has been a long term trend of rising traffic deaths in Illinois.  In 2010 there were 927 traffic deaths in Illinois compared with 1,194 deaths in Illinois in 2020.

The personal injury attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. have observed that the blame for these increases have been placed on the usual suspects of drunken driving and speeding.  On top of these two causes and quickly becoming the top cause of traffic fatalities is distracted driving.  Almost everyone today has a cell phone and is constantly receiving text messages and e-mails.   Many drivers cannot resist  talking on their phones or checking in coming text or e-mails that ping on their phones.  Just a moment of distraction that takes a drivers eyes off the road is all it takes to cause a driver not to  see a pedestrian crossing the road or see a red light that has just turned or see a car that has made a sudden stop in front of their car.  It only takes a moment’s distraction to cause a life changing and tragic injury causing crash.  The lawyers of Zneimer and Zneimer P.C. urge all drivers to not use their cell phones when driving.

 

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The Chicago Attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. take note of a decision handed down by the Illinois Appellate Court earlier this month, involving a claim for uninsured motorist coverage extending from a 2009 motorcycle accident that injured two. The case, State Farm Mutual Auto Ins. Co., v. Benedetto, 2015 IL App (1st) 141521, arises from the trial court’s entry of a ruling in favor of the injured motorcyclist. State Farm, filed its timely appeal, contending that both insurance and contract law warrant reversal.

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The bill’s goal is to reduce the risk of injuries to people already involved in an accident and emergency personnel that are attending to the crash. There have been several cases where emergency personnel have been injured by careless drivers too engulfed in a phone conversation to notice an accident scene ahead of them. With this initiative the flashing lights of any kind of parked emergency vehicle will mean Illinois drivers must hang up their phones.

Whenever a careless driver causes an accident the victim should not have to pay for the damage suffered. If the driver is using a company telephone and is carrying out a business-related conversation, the driver’s employer may be vicariously liable for the driver’s negligence. It is important to know your legal rights. If you have been involved in an auto accident contact Chicago personal injury attorneys Zneimer & Zneimer P.C for a free personal injury consultation.

The legislation would make it illegal for drivers to make calls with a hand-held phone within 500 feet of an accident scene where emergency vehicles have flashing lights, except for reporting emergencies. It also bans sending picture and video messages while driving at any time. The last thing could be logical because sending messages implies drivers looking at the cell phone instead looking at the road.

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Early in February in “Children’s Safety Will Hit Your Wallet,” we brought to your attention Governor Quinn’s signing of bill S.B. 965, that allows speed enforcement cameras to be placed in Chicago within 1/8 of a mile from city schools and parks each weekday. Mayor Rahm Emanuel insists that this measure is all about improving safety around schools and parks. The Chicago Sun-Times now reports changes to the mayor’s original proposal. The mayor presented his proposed speed-camera ordinance to the City Council on Wednesday. Alderman as well as city residents are questioning whether the ordinance is really about creating a new way to get money for City Hall. Originally Mayor Emanuel said there would be speed cameras at 79 locations that already have a red light camera. The speed cameras would start recording on school days between 6 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 9 p.m. on Friday. On Tuesday Emanuel’s aides didn’t acknowledge that there would be speed cameras placed where there currently are red light cameras. Also the hours the speed cameras would be tracking drivers was scaled back from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. speed cameras will also be up and running in park safety zones during hours when parks are open. Usually parks are open from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. Emanuel insists his priority is safety, “We’re gonna make sure it achieves the goal, which is to keep our kids safe near schools and parks.” Children’s safety is important, especially when it deals with the possibility of a pedestrian accident. If you or a loved one has been hurt in an auto accident contact Chicago personal injury attorneys Zneimer & Zneimer P.C for a free personal injury consultation.

The mayor’s aides said that the speed cameras would be installed first at only “a handful” of dangerous intersections within 1/8 of a mile of schools and parks. The amount of speed cameras will slowly expand until a cap has been reached at no more than 360 locations. Drivers caught speeding between six and 10 miles an hour near schools and parks would face $50 fines and an additional $50 if the payment is late. The fine would increase to $100 for motorists caught going more than 10 mph over the limit. It’s possible drivers who speed through red lights could be hit with fines for both speeding and running a red light.

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Drivers in Chicago are aware that there is a ban on using cell phones while operating a vehicle and now that could extend to anyone operating a bicycle. If House Bill 3849 gets approved by state lawmakers police officers across Illinois will be able to hand out tickets to anyone caught either talking or texting on their mobile device while riding a bicycle. “This addresses beyond the road, this addresses the bike path as well,” Said Representative Kelly Cassidy of Chicago. Cassidy also says this bill is the result of bicycle safety groups calling for such a law. This law would be similar to the law already enforced on Illinois motorists. There was a 5-4 vote on Wednesday, February 8th where the House Transportation Committee endorsed the texting while biking ban with a goal of reducing accidents. If you or a loved one has been involved in a bicycle accident contact expert attorneys Zneimer & Zneimer p.c. for a free personal injury consultation.

The Bill needs to be approved by the full House, the Senate, and signed by the governor to go into effect. The bill will allow bicyclists to use hands-free devices while biking. With this Bill bicyclists can easily avoid a ticket if they pull over on the side of the road or path to text or make a phone call. Opposition to this law claims there are already enough laws. It seems that even with laws already in place car accidents and bicycle accidents still occur.
Victims of bicycle accidents should know their rights. Texting impairs motorist’s ability to focus on the road and can also have the same effect on bicyclists. When motorists and bicyclists take the necessary precautions and avoid distractions such as mobile devices, while operating either a vehicle or a bicycle, accidents can be avoided.

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Earlier this week Governor Pat Quinn signed a bill allowing the City of Chicago to use cameras to catch speeding drivers near schools. The bill known as S.B. 965 will go into effect on July 1 and allows speed enforcement cameras within 1/8 of a mile, or one city block, around schools and parks between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. each weekday. The speed enforcement cameras are to be used within 1/8 of a mile around parks from one hour before the parks open to one hour after they close, which means cameras will be shut off only between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. It also allows using existing red light cameras and mobile cameras to catch speeders within 1/8 of a mile of schools and parks in Chicago.

The Expired Meter website issued a Freedom of Information request on all calls, emails and letters from the public to the governor’s office to learn about the response to the legislation. So far it has been negative; of the 224 calls, letters, and emails about the speed camera bill, an overwhelming 91 percent were opposed to it. Governor Quinn’s response was, “You may get letters, perhaps emails. You know, you study each communication, but… I’m not sure that’s a scientific sampling of all the people of Illinois, I think there are some people who are for the bill and some aren’t for it and, you know, that happens in a lot of situations.”

Mayor Rahm Emanuel released a statement on Monday morning thanking Quinn.

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A Chicago man who crashed into a parked car in the Wicker Park neighborhood on March 21 died today. Vito Battista was critically injured at 6:00 am when he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into a parked car near 1400 North Western Avenue in Chicago. Medical examiner’s spokesman said that Mr. Battista suffered massive head injuries.

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Illinois reported 110 fatal motorcycle accidents in nine months in 2008 and 113 in 2009. A high percentage of these fatalities occurred in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics suggest three ways that will reduce motorcycle crashes, injuries and fatalities.

Increase helmet use:Helmets are 37% effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle riders and 41% effective for passengers (NHTSA 2009) In 2008, 41% of motorcycle rider fatalities and 51% of motorcycle passenger fatalities were of riders and passengers who were not wearing a helmet. NHTSA estimates that 823 of these motorcyclists would have lived if they wore a helmet.

Reduce alcohol impairment In 2008, 30% of fatally injured motorcyclists had a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit of .08 (NHTSA, 2009)

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